Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-19

Of KoAlmsu's tcnsorial saloon. The
worthy artist, who had been sharpening
all thc razOrs in anticipation Of Gus
toner, was not q little amazed by SO
headlong and unheTalded an Eruption.
But when he recognized in the person OF
his abrupt and unEemp5 visitor no less an
individual than Ms old friend and gossip,
Louis WeTkle, the Gmiabie and excellent
iaultor of the Manhattan Savings Institu-
ton, his establishment knew No bounds.
II so happened that gentleman Of per
hap5 forty years Of Gge, fashlcnably
dressed, with al amethyst ring on his
finger, and & fine gold watch chain lying
across his waiStcOat, WAS strOjling past
the bank at The moment Of tine jZnisor's
appearance, ard when the Latter plunged
down KOhlman's steps, tue gentleman,
drawn by curiosity, followed him. Os-
teDsibiV, he came to get g shave, but a.
KohlmEn was thrown far too much on
his balance 10 allow OF his paying GTdl-
nary attention to customers, Jhe gentle
man very amjably stood by and listened
10 the curious story Which WeTkle, in an
swer TO the BARRIERS urgent intCrrOSato
ries, was beginning TO deliver himself OF.
A very curious story it certainly was
According to the janitoc'5 account ne had
gone 10 bed quietly the night before,
leaving the bank in charge Of the regular
Waterman, Daniel Keely. Keely had
held his position for number Of years
past and was looked upon as thoroughly
trustworthy man. He was assisted on
Sundays by g supplementary Waterman,
Patrick Schevelin by name, who, how
ever, was only on dntY in the daytime,
and the hour for whose appearance had
not yet arrived. Keely, then, had kept q
lookout from II O'Clock on Saturday
night until O'Clock that morning.
At that hour il wes his custom to go up
to the janit0r's rooms entering the
building from the Blocker street door,
which he opened with u key tat he
carried about him. and awaken him,
after which he was at liberty 10 90 home,
the responsibility of the bank being
thencefUrth shifted 10 Werkle's shoulders.
Al O'Clock, accordingly, WerkIe mad
been aroused BY kaock a: the door and
the voice Of Keely sdmonishing inst it
was time to arise. Up he got, immedi
ately, thanks to tae force q habit, and be-
gan To put on Ills clothes yaWning dismelly
the while Tor he was less than half awake.
Bat before bis toilet was completed bis
wife, wl0 was still in bed, remarked to
him that she fancied she had heard sin
guleT noise III the next room. ThisrOOm
was occupied by Mrs. Werkle's mother,
"a old and beGridjen woman OF somewhat
claky mental condition. Werhle was on
the point # going into the room TO inves-
tig8te the matter, when suddenly, quietly
and without warning the door into the
passage was opened and hslf Il dozen or
more strange figures crowded into the
little apartment.
Strange trey were, and appalling like
wise; for every one OF them was furnished
with hiGe0us black mask which COM
uletely concesled his features. For the
rest, their attire was devoid of any notice
able textures; but they were ell armed,
and their demeaROr showed that their re-
volvers were not Intended for show mere
". All wore rubber shoes on their feet
10 render Jhei- tread lOiseless. Tae jan
ltor and his wife stared at them in voice.
less CONSERVATION, nor did the intTuders
speak for few moments.
But presently one among them pushed
his way to the front. He was trihe I'M
der the average height, but OF broad and
massive build. His eyes spGrkled through
the holes cut in his black mask. He ad
dressed the janitor in low but peremp-
tory voice, demanding the instant pro
duction of the keys of the bank.
The unhappy janitor tried to evade the
demand, and his wife emitted futile
scream. Instantly the muZzles OF the re-
volvers were planted against their heads
and they were sternly assured that the
slightest attempt TO cry out or resist
would be punished by instant deSth. At
the same time two OF the masked men
bound and gagged Mrs. Werkle and TWO
others went into the inner room TO per-
form q like Office for her mother. 1t was
plain, from all their movements, that they
were perfectly familiar with ell the jan
itor's domestic arrangements and habits.
Ii YVES piain, too, that they were in deadly
earnest, and would put up with NJ
triftng.
This was 8 situation TO be faced by g
hero, but not by such person rs Louis
Werkle, and when the cold muzzle of the
revolver touched his temple he sucCumbed
and indicated where the keys might be
found. BGi ne ventured to observe that
The key would be Of no avail without
knowledge OF the way the knob should be
turned, which was something that could
not be impaired by description.
The leader replied c<lrtly that the turn
ing OF the knob need give Mr.. Werkle no
Gneasiness, for that Tas detail which
had already been mastered; but he edded
that he must require the j2nitor to repeat
10 him the combination. Upon Werkle's
protesting thst he did not hgye it, he wes
.Gld that ne was known to open the vault
with it every morning, and Dss further
'eminded that delay or prev arlcstion
ne8Es death.
In faltering voice the i2nitor gave the
hree Numbers of the combination.
The Leader did not seem satisfied. he
made his victim repeat the numbers, s. nd
hen told him that there must be one
more, as the lock was a four-wheeled one. ,
Verkle assured him that he had given |